When you want to learn to programme, the whole void of Computer Science seems very intimidating. It gives a very dark vibe with no hope or future. People are always asking, how to start programming from scratch. They are either afraid of learning it or they think that it’s crazy expensive. Therefore, to put it into simple words, the whole concept of programming is pretty wrong in our brains.
Here’s the tea. Learning to code isn’t that hard as it looks like. It’s pretty inexpensive too. There are tons of free resources you can take to learn code just as good as anyone. But! One thing shall be clear. Your will to learn. When we start to learn something, we should put our heart and soul into it. That is what makes us different from other people. Solely, touching a subject and leaving it after you’re bored isn’t good.
When someone starts their journey into the world of programming, they look for the best possible language to learn. A student looks for the most powerful and famous language. A person who has a hobby as programming would just try to touch things on the surface. But, let’s be real. This is all delusional. That’s why we are giving you tips and tricks on How To Start Programming From Scratch.
Why Coding?
To start off your journey as a programmer, you need to validate if you really want to learn it or not. If you really want to actually be a programmer or not. Can you literally throw away your whole life to become a programmer? Think of the real reasons why you want to become a programmer. Are you ready to start programming from scratch? Various people come for various reasons. Therefore, some people learn to programme just because it’s a hobby. On the other hand, some learn because they have a passion for it.
I always say it’s difficult to start programming from scratch but coding isn’t difficult. It’s your brain, who is just not used to it. You need to gather your thought. “Optimize your brain, not your PC”. It’s yourself who can make you certain something in life. So the question is still there. Are you trying to make the next big thing? Do you want to start your own software house? Are you interested in making games? The choice is yours.
Only your answer is what will tell, which programming language you should learn. Also how much time and money you will have to sacrifice accordingly. For example, if you are want to learn Web Development, you should try out HTML, CSS. If you want to make games, you should try C# and Java. Therefore, you will also have to learn many concepts accordingly such as Data Structure and Algorithms or maybe Memory Allocation. These are topics that are a must-have in the journey of a Programmer.
On the other hand, if you want to become a Not-So-Into programming type of person, you can still try programming from scratch. Bootcamps and Tutorials can feed your needs. Because you don’t want to be in student debt uselessly do you? If all you want to do is make websites and do stuff like this, tutorials will do the trick.
Which Language Should I choose
This is the most basic question asked by almost every programmer. Now, it’s true that there are many programming languages available and it can get quite confusing for a newbie. So, it’s only right if someone is going to ask which language they should learn. My answer to that it, it depends. It depends on what? It depends on what you want to learn. Computer Science is a large field. Programming itself is so vast that we cannot say that someone is perfect in programming. No one is perfect in this game. There are many types of programming languages.
Really it actually depends on what niche you choose.
Choose the methods by which you will start programming from scratch. The specific category will help you choose. Therefore, let’s talk about some of the most basic languages. Most programmers want to learn all programming languages. They think that, most language they choose. The better they become. That is true to a certain degree. But let’s be real, no one can be master of all language. That’s why, I always say that, if you want to choose a language, just get into one an obliterate everyone. This means that you should focus on one language and just be a master of one.
Be the Master of one
Master of one is better than being the master of none. Like, if you want to start web development, JAVASCRIPT, HTML, CSS, SQL, PHP are must learn. To make Android apps, Java, Kotlin is used. Moreover, for IOS development C or Swift is used. Most games are made in Unity, and it uses C# to make it. I know it’s difficult to start programming from scratch.
But, if you are still having a hard time choosing which language to learn, the beginner’s most awesome language is Python. I recommend python the most. Because it’s easy and powerful language to use. The syntax is pretty simple and you can do pretty much anything you want. So then again, take one language and just breeze through it. Become the master. Be the best programming of that language.
Make that certain language a part of your life. Above all, once you choose a programming language, everything will work like a breeze. You will adapt the programming language and it’ll be very easy for you to pick up other programming languages when the time comes. So the tip number first and last is, just choose one language and breeze through it. Learn the syntax, solve problems, learn basic concepts of programming. Watch great tutorials or attend a Bootcamp. You can even invest money in learning a certain course. That investing will surely give you fruit at some time in the future.
Tutorials themselves make it easier for the learner to learn. They show great tips and tricks and basic knowledge to advanced level knowledge. But, we shouldn’t always stick to the tutorials. Rather than that, we should do research on our own on a certain topic. That will make more sense and will give us more knowledge.
Taking Online Courses
If you are an introvert like more. Or, you don’t want to deal with people and their stuff. Or maybe, you just don’t have enough time to actually go for school or somewhere to learn to program. Online courses are always an open option. The Web is swarming with tutorials. Every language that exists till this date has tutorials on YouTube. So really, it’s an excuse when people say that they will wait for the right moment.
The right moment is right now. This is the time to learn. One problem that occurs while learning online is that there are just tons of tutorials available. It can be really difficult to choose from them. Just a while ago, I wanted to learn Unity and how to make games on Unity. It took me almost a whole day to choose the tutorial I wanted. That the time when I realized that all that doesn’t matter. What matters is your understanding of a certain topic. You should cling onto the tutorial. Rather than that, you should do research.
Also, almost all of the programming language companies provide you with their own tutorials which are no doubt, the best.
There are also some great websites out there to teach you. Udemy is my favourite choice though. But, no matter where we start, most of the beginners have difficulty in learning basic concepts. That’s why institutes are there for you.
Buy a Book
Now, with the passage of time, books are being obliterated. Some people think that it’s good as there is no need to cling onto the books. But, in my opinion, books can teach you better. The best way to learn to program is to teach yourself by learning from a book. Therefore, beginners should take a look at books. Books will give them a more vivid and comprehensive hands-on experience.
Rather than changing tabs on google chrome, most people don’t even bother to open one website more than one time. Websites get lost but pages remain the same. So it’s pretty easy to learn and you can revise whenever you want. There are also many E-books available if you don’t want to touch a book though.
You will benefit from reading books. Books give us broader advice on almost everything. Your critical thinking and common sense skills will also be improved with the use of books. There are many awesome programming books out there for us.
Videos about Programming
In addition to taking cool tutorials, you should also check out some general programming videos. You can watch people do the stuff you are trying to do. That is pretty convenient. Like, for example, you are making a Login page on a website and you are having difficulty.
You can find many videos on certain topics. So watching it is pretty simple rather than being fixated in one place. There are many Ex-Google engineers like TechLead and many others who have videos on solving complex google interviews and stuff like that. There are a ton of YouTube marathons live streaming on YouTube. They are all very fun to watch.
Programmers on YouTube also show how a certain error can be fixed. So you can always get help from Google. CS Dojo, Joma Tech, TechLead, CS 50, these are some of the YouTubers I cherish myself and enjoy a lot watching their videos.
Make Personal Projects
No matter how many videos you watch or how many classes you take, nothing is fruitful until unless you try it yourself. Practising is the key to success. The proof that you are an above awesome programmer can only be evaluated looking at your project. The project is like your portfolio. All this doesn’t mean that your project should be the next Google but it should be your best shot. It doesn’t matter how many certificates are lying at your home.
“Project is your portfolio”. It tells what you’ve done throughout your journey as a programmer. You can start on a very small scale but always think big. Your project should not be a hot mess of code but it should be a perfect blend and portray of your skills and smart work. After making the project, you should work on it every day tweaking and improving what you just made. Without portraying your coding skills in your project, you can never become a good programmer and that’s the reality.
Research on Your Errors
Now, a lot of programmers, big or small. They get so scared when they get an error. I’ve seen people literally smashing their keyboard because of a simple error. It can be pretty frustrating. Therefore, I’ve come up with a way to avoid this mess. If you cannot find what caused an error in your code. You can always find a solution online.
Nowadays, compilers are smart enough to tell what error is and on which line an error is. So, all you need to do is to just put that error on Google and find out. You learn from your mistakes. No one is perfect. I can confidently say that there might not be a single person who had no error in his code. We learn from errors in our code.
So, once you get an error, what you might want to do is, put it on google and read some articles. You can also add a pair of Quotation marks around the important text so that it’ll make it easier for you to find that error.
If you want an in-depth look at your error or you are having difficulty in finding that error, you can ask developers who are 24/7 available for the sole reason of helping you. Websites such as Stack Overflow or GitHub provides the best and easy solutions to your problems. You can also make friends on these websites. But always ask smart questions. No one wants a dumb friend. I remember putting my whole assignment and making someone solve it on Stack overflow. Everyone dissed me to the point I removed it. Everyone makes a mistake. After that mistake, I’ve never even visited stack overflow. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t too but just don’t be stupid.
Read Codes
One of the best ways to teach yourself programming is to read other people’s code. Reading codes line by line really improves the way you learn. By going through codes you get to see different coding styles and algorithms that are done by different people.
This results in opening your thoughts and your way of interpreting concepts. In my first semester in university, the professor made us read different types of codes. This resulted in our better understanding of the syntax and overall experience.
Moreover, you can modify somebody’s code into your own. There are tons of source codes available all across the internet. You can modify them in your own way or even rewrite it in your style. This will make sure to get you noticed that what spots you are weak in programming. You can then work on that certain part to actually improve yourself.
Get someone to teach you
In the world full of complexities like programming. It’s not bad to actually get help from awesome people. If you get yourself a Mentor or Sensei (Japanese), you can learn most from them they can teach how to start programming from scratch too. Developers on the GitHub community are always there to help you. They will not only help you but will also provide you the feedback on your code. This is one way to actually being programming.
You can also hire someone in real life to teach you. There are a lot of tutors available for the sole reason of teaching if you are interested in. That, however, requires a lot of money. If you learn to program, you’ll be able to answer newbie’s questions and a lot of fun stuff.
Staying Motivated
The most difficult part of programming is keeping yourself motivated. A lot of programmers suffer from a lack of motivation. There is a good logic to describe it though. I have researched a lot about it and I have finally found an explanation after watching a couple of videos on YouTube and reading some articles.
Have you even though of yourself, why you like stuff that you like? The answer is, because you put your heart and soul into that stuff and feel like you’ve accomplished something. Other the other hand, whenever you’re doing something with responsibility, the malicious aura itself scares you to the point, you don’t feel like doing it.
So how to avoid it and how to start programming by scratch? What can we do to avoid this brain damage? I am going to tell you some of the tips, as a programmer you can do to avoid.
Start low
Don’t just straight up to get crazy with it. Take it easy. Make your goals easy and small. It’s not because you need to improve yourself. It’s to avoid low motivation. By doing this, your sense of achievement will rise very much. You will feel like, you have done something big in small parts and it’s basically satisfying to feel that. It’s better to think about that small task you’ve done rather than taking all the burden on yourself.
Think about what you’ve done
When a person is in the progressive stage, he seems to forget how far he has come in the field of his life. You don’t see yourself getting better but trust me, you are getting better every day. The best way to keep everything on track is to make a memo. Write your everyday progress. We, humans, tend to forget even the simplest thing so writing a memo won’t hurt.
For example, if you are having difficulty you can write it in that diary. And when in hard times you’ll look in that memo, you’ll instantly know how far you’ve come in life. It’s easy to do this. You have enough will power to win. You will see yourself becoming better with the passage of time.
Soon after you reach a certain point of success in your life, you’ll get to see your whole time of struggling to flash right in front of your eyes. That’ll give you the ultimate motivation.
Work on another project
Stay away from everything for a while. Think about what you want to build as a programmer. If it’s a game or a website or anything you want to make. Just make that. Try to make it. In between the developing process, you’ll realize that you have to finish it. That will give you ultra motivation in your life.
Realization
This is the most important part of all. I still feel the same. What do I feel? I feel like everyone around me is doing so well and I’m here wasting my time. Everyone does well to actually start programming from scratch but not me. It’s pretty normal to think like that though. But simply put, it’s not true. You are capable enough to actually do it. The will power will rise in your veins once you actually start it. It’s never actually too late to start the new beginning. You have to pick up your tools. Use the tools you’re given. From tools, I mean the gifts that you are blessed with.
There are some things you should keep in mind though.
- Never Give up Nor Lose Hope
- Never compare yourself with others
- Do not Degrade yourself
- Always be constant
- You are doing better today than what you were doing yesterday
Conclusion
In Conclusion to all this, I’d say that programming is a very vast field. It’s a hot topic in today’s world It’s not really that difficult if you motivate yourself and work smartly with the mixture of hard work.
There are tons of websites available for teaching and all you have to do is just being. Get yourself together and just start it. With the passage of time, you will notice that everything is starting to make sense and isn’t like it was in the beginning. That will be the day when you’ll notice that it’s not really difficult to start programming from scratch. it’s just time taking.